University Blog

Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Jeremiah 29:12–14

Just like Advent and Christmas at the end of last year, Lent could not have arrived at a more appropriate time for the Church (yes, it’s already time to start thinking about Lent). Beginning February 17, we will spend approximately 40 days preparing ourselves to encounter Christ’s majesty and mercy in the events of Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This year, those high holy days might convey even more meaning and power to us in light of the hellish time through which we live. If we are honest with ourselves, then we may admit that we need the grace of Jesus Christ more than ever. We might need Jesus to come even closer to reassure us that hope remains. 

Here at University, we want to provide a way for you to draw nearer to God so that God’s presence might, in turn, fill even more of your life. Rev. Holly Wilson and myself will be offering an opportunity for you to take up a Lenten practice and be part of a group who will journey through this season together. This practice will be built upon Scripture but will approach the stories of the Bible in a way that is more experiential, prayerful, and engaging than our usual way of reading. 

Here’s how we envision this group working during Lent: at the beginning of the week, we will release a video on our app and the website that will guide you through a story of Jesus healing someone. This video will encourage you to place yourself within the story and assume the perspective of one of the characters. Scripture will come to life as you witness the story playing out right before your own “eyes.” Additionally, we will offer a journal for you to react and reflect upon your experience with the story.  Finally, we will gather as an online group the following Sunday at 4pm so that we can share insights and experiences that were drawn out by the practice throughout the week. You can learn more on our Events Page on the website under the “Drawing Near” event.

For now, know that Christ is inviting you this upcoming Lent to trust in his grace and take heart in the promises of Good Friday & Easter. We hope that you will make this journey to the cross and the empty tomb with us. Together, let’s draw near to Jesus.

On the way,
Reed McNitzky